Cardinals lose after two costly mistakes against Titans

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The Arizona Cardinals looked like they were cruising to their third win of the 2025 NFL season, but two head-scratching mistakes resulted in the Tennessee Titans’ first win of the year instead.

The Titans defeated the Cardinals, 22-21, on a walk-off field goal to snap a four-game losing streak to start the year, while Arizona was left flabbergasted after blowing a 21-6 lead they had at halftime.

Arizona’s first bizarre blunder came on what should’ve been the game-sealing score for the home team, as Emari Demercado broke free on what looked like a 72-yard touchdown run.

However, he committed the biggest do-not in the NFL as he was seen releasing the ball before he crossed the goal line. So, instead of a 28-6 lead for the Cardinals to start the fourth quarter, the Titans got the ball at the 20-yard line after a horrendous touchback.

Titans quarterback Cam Ward used that gift to go 80 yards for the team’s first touchdown of the game, as Tony Pollard busted into the end zone from one yard out to make it 21-12 (Joey Slye’s extra point was no good).

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The second blunder for the Cardinals was even more crazy to wrap your head around. It appeared Arizona got the game-sealing interception when Dadrion Taylor-Demerson hauled in a tipped Ward pass while Tennessee was in the red zone. But Taylor-Demerson tumbled to the ground and lost the ball.

From there, it was pinball as multiple Cardinals players tried to recover the fumble, but the ball managed to ricochet its way into the end zone where Titans receiver Tyler Lockett secured it. It was ruled a touchdown because the ball remained live even with the boots from the Cardinals players.

The score was now 21-19 and the Cardinals had the opportunity to still salvage a victory despite the horrible mistakes. But after the Titans’ defense forced a punt, Ward had time to get downfield and perhaps allow Slye the chance for the win.

That’s exactly what he did when he found Calvin Ridley on a 38-yard strike to put the Titans at the Cardinals’ 15-yard line. An 11-yard run from Pollard secured a chip-shot field goal chance and Slye buried the 29-yarder at the buzzer for the impossible win.

Ward finished the game 21-of-39 for 265 yards with no touchdown passes and one interception, while Pollard had 67 yards rushing on 14 carries with his score. Ridley led the pass game with 131 yards on just five catches.